To stay young and healthy, how often is sex recommended?

A.    Once a week

B.    Twice a week

C.    10 times a month

D.    200 or more times a year (about 4 x week)

Dr. Mehmet Oz, co-author of the “You” series health guides for body mind and soul and Oprah’s go-to health guy, states that if you have 200 orgasms a year, you can reduce your physiologic age by six years.

Dr. Michael Roizen, author of RealAge — Are You as Young as You Can Be?, states that “Having sex at least twice a week can make your RealAge 1.6 years younger than if you had sex only once a week.” He defines ‘real age’ as “an estimation of your age in biologic terms, not chronologic years.”

Roizen believes that sex keeps us younger because it “decreases stress, relaxes us, enhances intimacy, and helps … personal relationships.”

Although no study has yet proven a cause-and-effect relationship between good sex and longevity, there seems to be a beneficial system at work here — a sort of virtuous cycle of sex and health reinforcing one another.

One of the first long term studies of aging begun at Duke University in the ’50s and reported in the December 1982 journal Gerontologist found that the frequency of sexual intercourse (for men) and the enjoyment of sex (for women) predicted longevity.

A study done in Wales, and published in the December 1997 British Medical Journal under the title, “Sex and Death: Are They Related?” found over ten years of follow up, that men who reported at least two orgasms a week at the time of the study had less than half the risk of dying from various causes than those who reported a lower frequency of orgasm.

Other studies have found that sexual dissatisfaction was a predictor of the onset of cardiovascular disease. A study published in the November-December 1976 journal Psychosomatic Medicine compared 100 women with heart disease (acute myocardial infarction) with a control group and found sexual dissatisfaction among 65% of the coronary patients but only 24% of the controls.

In a long-term study published as Secrets of the Superyoung, Dr. David Weeks, of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland, found that “the key ingredients for looking younger are staying active … and maintaining a good sex life.” In a study of 3,500 people, ages 30 to 101, Weeks found that “sex helps you look between four and seven years younger,” according to impartial ratings of the subjects’ photos. Dr. Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist, attributed this to significant reductions in stress, greater contentment, and better sleep.

Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. “Yes” is the answer.
~Swami X

Sex is the most fun you can have without laughing.
~Woody Allen

Sex Reduces Pain

Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This releases an increase in endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headache to arthritis to even migraines. In women, sex also prompts production of estrogen, which can reduce the pain of PMS. Just thinking about sex can help to reduce pain.

Sex Improves Intimacy

Speaking of oxytocin, this so-called “love” hormone helps us to bond, trust and build intimate relationships. Higher levels of oxytocin have also been linked to a feeling of generosity.

Sex Helps You Sleep Better

The release of oxytocin during orgasm promotes sleep. Getting enough sleep helps to maintain a healthy weight and blood pressure.

Sex Burns Calories and Keeps You Fit

Sex is a great way to exercise. A vigorous session may burn some 200 calories–about the same as running 15 minutes on a treadmill. 40 half-hour sessions could burn off more than enough calories to lose a pound. The pulse rate or an aroused person rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete at maximum effort. Muscular contractions during intercourse work the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax.

Another fitness benefit of sex is that it can keep you in constant awareness of your body image. If you are continually being naked in front of another person, it’s a good incentive to stay in shape.

 Men’s Health magazine has gone so far as to call the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.

Sex Boosts Immunity

Good sexual health could mean better physical health. Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which is known to boost the immune system, protecting you from colds and other infections.

Sex Relieves Stress

Biological Psychology reports that frequent intercourse was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure and overall stress reduction. A study of 24 women and 22 men noted that those who had intercourse had better responses to stressful situations than those who abstained from sex. They performed better at such tasks as speaking in public and doing verbal arithmetic.

Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health

Researchers in England recently published a study of 914 men who were followed for 20 years. They found that compared with those who had sex less than once a month, those having sex twice or more per week reduced the risk of fatal heart attack or stroke by 50%.

Sex makes for a Happier Prostate

Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation and cancer of the prostate.

A study recently published by the British Journal of Urology International asserts that men in their 20s can reduce by a third their chance of getting prostate cancer by ejaculating more than five times a week. Another study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., found that frequent ejaculations, 21 or more per month, (252/year) were linked to lower prostate cancer.

Sex is a Beauty Treatment & Fountain of Youth

In a study at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland, a panel of judges guessed participant’s ages. Those who looked seven to 12 years younger than their age were also enjoying sex at least four times a week, on average.

Sex raises a woman’s estrogen level, which helps make hair shiny and skin supple.

Sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles.

Having at least two orgasms a week can increase your life span. Every time you orgasm, the hormone DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) increases in response to sexual excitement. DHEA can boost your immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, and even work as an antidepressant.

Sex helps your sense of smell. After sex, production of the hormone prolactin surges. This in turn causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s olfactory bulb, its smell center.

Sex gives you better bladder control. Pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegels offer the benefit of minimizing the risk of incontinence. Strong muscles increase the intensity of orgasms.

Sex Improves Your Teeth (special delivery system for women). Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay. It could be a far more satisfying experience than squeezing a tube of Tartar Control Crest. Researchers have noted that etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which helps promote better oral hygiene.”

Sex can enhance your sense of spirituality.

Many ancient traditions and cultures view sexuality as something sacred and spiritual. Sexual energy is unlike any other.  When we merge with this power during orgasm, we are connecting to our non-physical aspects. Why do you think we cry out, “Oh God!”? According to the Taoists, since we are conceived through orgasm and orgasmic energy permeates every cell of our body, we need to feel this orgasmic energy regularly – ideally every day – to stay healthy.

Well-being makes you jump for joy!

Listening to TheMindMatters:Nourishment and TheMindMatters:Movement will allow you to relax and visit your inner space, your place of creation, where you can choose positive thoughts and emotions which will motivate and inspire you. The Meditations are a soothing and relaxing way to communicate with your subconscious mind. You are reaching the most powerful part of your mind and so, this time, you will succeed in achieving your fitness goals.

Your food choices, portions, cravings and eating habits are motivated by subconscious programming. We seek “comfort food” when we have stress or anxiety. We indulge in treats when we are lonely or bored. We crave foods for the sensual feelings we experience while we eat. We feed our emotions. We swallow our unexpressed feelings. We are weighed down by our emotional burdens. When you love and accept yourself, you are better able to express your emotions and needs. You have a healthier relationship with your feelings which creates the ability to make better choices in how you nourish yourself.

When you listen to TheMindMatters:Nourishment, you access the power of your subconscious mind, the 88% of your mind which controls your behavior. You will succeed in letting go of the unwanted excess weight and you will keep it off for the rest of your life. You will set a realistic goal and carry it out successfully. You will achieve and maintain your ideal weight, size and shape with the power of the MindBody connection. The time to start is now!

Your desire and motivation to exercise and be physically active is based on your past subconscious programming. Negative thought patterns are created in many ways. By accessing your subconscious mind, positive thought patterns can be created to replace the negative ones. You will succeed in creating and maintaining an enjoyable exercise program which will keep you fit and flexible for the rest of your long, healthy life.

When you listen to TheMindMatters:Movement, you re-program your mind to accept and be motivated by the benefits of exercise and physical activity. The benefits include but are not limited to: reduce stress; increase energy, strength and flexibility; build healthy immune system; cleanse and de-toxify; boost metabolism; tone & firm muscles; cardio-vascular health; youthful & healthy appearance; longer and healthier life.

What you tell yourself has the greatest power over your life. What you tell yourself determines what you can and can not do. Tell yourself that you deserve to have a strong and healthy body. Tell yourself that the time to start to honor and respect your body is now! It’s a choice you make.

 Choose Your Thoughts…Choose Your Body

Thousands of studies and more than a decade later, “the science shows which approaches work,” says Josephine Briggs, MD, director of NCCAM.” One such therapy is hypnosis, which can literally change the way the brain receives signals from the body and from outside stimulus.

A recent study showed that women who were hypnotized for five weekly sessions, found improvement in symptoms and occurrence of hot flashes. After the sessions, they reported a reduction in both the frequency and the severity of their hot flashes.

“Hypnosis teaches us that we have more control over how we process both internal and external information, like temperature, than we usually give ourselves credit for,” says David Spiegel, MD, associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and medical director of the Stanford Center for Integrated Medicine. “For instance, hypnosis can suggest to the brain that it should tamp down its sensitivity to heat; when it does just that, women with hot flashes have an altered perception of their body temperature.”

The body doesn’t know the difference between what the brain perceives as reality and what is imagined. Your body responds to your thoughts. You can change your perceptions.

Hidden benefit: Hypnosis can decrease anxiety and depression and improve your quality of sleep.

Dr. Karen Olness, author of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy with Children, conducted an experiment involving immune systems and the subconscious mind at Rainbow Babies’ and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. A video was shown where one puppet represented a virus; another, which looked like a policeman, represented the immune system. After viewing the video, the children were guided into a relaxed state and asked to imagine lots of policemen puppets running around inside their bodies. When saliva samples were taken, the results showed that their immunoglobulin levels had substantially increased. Their immune systems had been supercharged with their imagination and were working as though they were fighting off real infections. Dr Olness states, “It is still my view that every child with chronic illness should learn self-hypnosis, because of the sense of coping and competence it gives them.”

The mind doesn’t know the difference between what is imagined and perceived reality. The body responds to what the mind is creating. The subconscious mind is not logical or rational. It merely takes what it observes and makes it so. And so it is.

About an hour into this, Tayden had probably eaten 2 or 3 containers of strawberries.  Her mom said, “Don’t you think you have had enough?”

Tayden shrugged. Clearly, it was hard to think of ‘enough’ strawberries. How many would that be?

So, her uncle asked, “Well, how does your belly feel?”

And she replied, “Oh, my belly is full. But when it’s good and my BRAIN wants to keep eating, it just doesn’t listen to my belly!”

How often have you continued eating after your belly was full? You ate because it tasted so good or because you were happy or bored or lonely or tired or angry. Are you listening to your belly? Is your brain (your thoughts) fully aware of your body and your physical needs? Or are you ignoring it?

In order to create and maintain excellent health, your mind-body connection should be fully engaged and in working order. If you need a tune-up, I can help you to access the power and make the connection. Choose your thoughts. Choose your body.

Uncle Sam celebrates Independence Day with Patricia

Do you recognize and rejoice in your own personal liberty? Or do you feel trapped or limited? Will you allow yourself the freedom to make the right choices to create joy in your life? Or will you make up some reason why it’s not possible? Do you embrace self-rule and self-government? Or are you influenced by the choices or restrictions of others?

Like all beliefs, your view of personal freedom and liberty is a perception of your subconscious mind. It is a thought that you keep practicing. You can choose to change the thought at any time.

You are completely in control of your freedom as well as your limitations. You set your own boundaries. What limitations have you set on your success and happiness? Would you like to be free of self-imposed limitations? Would you like to create your own Independence Day?

We live our lives based on our perceptions and beliefs, often unaware that there may be a new and different way to approach a situation. Einstein tells us “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.”

Our founding fathers created a new way of government and a new way of thinking. They imagined “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. We have benefited from their vision and their beliefs.

Why not approach a situation in a different way? Explore the use of powerful mindbody energy techniques to let go of self-imposed limitations. Access the power of your subconscious mind to imagine a future of self-mastery and a new way of being. You deserve to pursue happiness. It’s an inalienable right. Happy Independence Day!

Learn to manage stress with natural approaches. Breathing exercises and mind-body therapies such as guided imagery create a healing state and facilitate well-being.

He was completely consciously aware, and spent days and nights visualizing how it would feel to walk out of the hospital with his own legs. During the months spent at the hospital he kept telling himself that he would be out of it “before Christmas”. And that’s exactly what happened, just before Christmas.

The doctors dubbed him “The Miracle Man”, and never understood how what they witnessed was possible.

There are many documented cases of people who, with the power of positive thinking and positive feelings, have eliminated deadly physical conditions. Medicine is unable to explain it scientifically, but at the same time doctors and scientists accept it as a fact: “miracles” happen.

Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle”.

Either way you decide to live, you are right. You create your reality.

I can help you to use the power of your subconscious mind, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior. I can help you to focus on positive thoughts and positive emotions to create a more positive reality. I can help you to tell yourself that anything you set your mind to accomplish is possible.

Be realistic; plan for a miracle.

Hypnosis Reduces Pain and Speeds up Recovery from Surgery

Since 1992, we have used hypnosis routinely in more than 1400 patients undergoing surgery. We found that hypnosis used with patients as an adjunct to conscious sedation and local anesthesia was associated with improved intraoperative patient comfort, and with reduced anxiety, pain, intraoperative requirements for anxiolytic and analgesic drugs, optimal surgical conditions and a faster recovery of the patient. We reported our clinical experience and our fundamental research.

[Hypnosis and its application in surgery] Faymonville ME, Defechereux T, Joris J, Adant JP, Hamoir E, Meurisse M, Service d’Anesthesie-Reanimation, Universite de Liege, Rev Med Liege. 1998 Jul;53(7):414-8.

Hypnosis Reduces Pain Intensity

Analysis of the simple-simple main effects, holding both group and condition constant, revealed that application of hypnotic analgesia reduced report of pain intensity significantly more than report of pain unpleasantness.

Dahlgren LA, Kurtz RM, Strube MJ, Malone MD, Differential effects of hypnotic suggestion on multiple dimensions of pain. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management. 1995; 10(6): 464-70.

Hypnosis Reduces Pain of Headaches and Anxiety

The improvement was confirmed by the subjective evaluation data gathered with the use of a questionnaire and by a significant reduction in anxiety scores.

Melis PM, Rooimans W, Spierings EL, Hoogduin CA, Treatment of chronic tension-type headache with hypnotherapy: a single-blind time controlled study. Headache 1991; 31(10): 686-9.

Hypnosis Lowered Post-treatment Pain in Burn Injuries

Patients in the hypnosis group reported less post treatment pain than did patients in the control group. The findings are used to replicate earlier studies of burn pain hypnoanalgesia, explain discrepancies in the literature, and highlight the potential importance of motivation with this population.

Patterson DR, Ptacek JT, Baseline pain as a moderator of hypnotic analgesia for burn injury treatment. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology 1997; 65(1): 60-7.

Hypnosis Lowered Phantom Limb Pain

Hypnotic procedures appear to be a useful adjunct to established strategies for the treatment of phantom limb pain and would repay further, more systematic, investigation. Suggestions are provided as to the factors which should be considered for a more systematic research program.

Treatment of phantom limb pain using hypnotic imagery. Oakley DA, Whitman LG, Halligan PW, Department of Psychology, University College, London, UK.

Hypnosis Has a Reliable and Significant Impact on Acute and Chronic Pain

Hypnosis has been demonstrated to reduce analogue pain, and studies on the mechanisms of laboratory pain reduction have provided useful applications to clinical populations. Studies showing central nervous system activity during hypnotic procedures offer preliminary information concerning possible physiological mechanisms of hypnotic analgesia. Randomized controlled studies with clinical populations indicate that hypnosis has a reliable and significant impact on acute procedural pain and chronic pain conditions. Methodological issues of this body of research are discussed, as are methods to better integrate hypnosis into comprehensive pain treatment.

Hypnosis and clinical pain. Patterson DR, Jensen MP, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA USA 98104 Psychol Bull. 2003 Jul;129(4):495-521.

Hypnosis Useful in Hospital Emergency Rooms

Hypnosis can be a useful adjunct in the emergency department setting. Its efficacy in various clinical applications has been replicated in controlled studies. Application to burns, pain, pediatric procedures, surgery, psychiatric presentations (e.g., coma, somatoform disorder, anxiety, and post traumatic stress), and obstetric situations (e.g., hyperemesis, labor, and delivery) are described.

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2000 May;18(2):327-38, x. The use of hypnosis in emergency medicine. Peebles-Kleiger MJ, Menninger School of Psychiatry and Mental Health Sciences, Menninger Clinic, Topeka, KS, USA. peeblemj@menninger.edu

Self-Hypnosis Alleviates Tension Headaches

In 169 patients, self-hypnosis was largely successful in alleviating chronic tension headaches. (International Journal of Clinical Experimental Hypnosis, 2000)

The article further states that “imagery has documented physiologic effects: It can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, and affect brain wave activity, oxygen supply to the tissues, vascular constriction, skin temperature, cochlear and pupillary reflexes, skin response, salivation, and gastrointestinal activity.

The need to make art is a basic human urge. It is a trait as natural as language and sex. Early writing often consisted of pictures. Ancient humans used art not only to decorate but to create magic, to protect themselves from evil and harm, to express and control powerful emotions and to prepare themselves for coming events.

Images are the language of emotions. The language of visual art – colors, shapes, lines and textures – speaks to us in ways that words do not. Art is a means of connecting our thoughts, feelings and perceptions with our life experiences.

Art is more than ornamentation. Cultures through the ages have been defined and understood by their art. Art tells our personal stories.  We make our feelings, thoughts, experiences, values and beliefs, visible through art. In the process, we are offered a way to know ourselves from a new perspective and an opportunity to transform that perspective.

Did you know that art and hypnotherapy have a lot in common? Painting, sketching or even scribbling are simple activities that can soothe you, release stress and give pleasure. These methods of self-expression can change your state of being and tap your intuitive and creative powers. Art and hypnosis both alter your consciousness.

Both art and hypnosis are ancient forms of healing. Each can help to solve problems, release powerful emotions, or alleviate pain. Each promotes growth, self-expression and transformation. Both are powerful tools.

I am an artist, but my focus has broadened. I’ve learned some things along the way. I’ve learned the art of teaching people not only lessons in art but lessons in life. I’ve learned to teach people how to achieve their dreams.

Hypnotherapy can change behaviors and perceptions. It can change your tomorrows by simply changing your programming today. Hypnotherapy is a method of communicating your conscious desires and dreams directly to the subconscious mind, your personal goal-achieving machine, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior.

The Law of Attraction states that whatever we are thinking about, we will attract into our life, whether we want it or not! We could almost call this law the Law of Creation, because what we are thinking about is what we are creating. What we are feeling about what we are thinking is how the creation process begins. Emotions help to create reality. When we believe in something, and when we love, desire, and want it, we create it more quickly. If there is anything we want to experience, we need to focus upon it. Whatever we turn our attention to, we will create.       

As energy, every single thought directly and instantly influences the quantum field. Quantum physics has shown that everything in the Universe, in all dimensions of life and reality, ultimately is made up of “quanta”, of Energy, vibration. This Energy is integral to everything in existence. When something is observed, imagined, visualized… “quanta” come together to form sub-atomic particles, which in turn become atoms, then molecules until finally something manifests in the physical world. “Quanta” never, ever differentiate between what we want and what we don’t want. They merely respond to and obey our thoughts. Ask and it is given. No exceptions. Conscious creation is the basis of the Law of Attraction. Isn’t it interesting that the most effective way to consciously create something is to use the imagining powers of the subconscious Mind?

As human beings, all we do is create experiences. There is nothing else we do. In order to create an experience, we must first imagine it. As we focus on what we want, our thought energy (traveling at the speed of light!) has creative power. The subconscious mind accepts whatever we are imagining in our inner world and uses it to create our outer experience in reality.

The world of images is the source of power in our physical world. The images direct the Energy in our body. Imagining what we want is like creating a model before we build the real thing. We need to dream, but dreams are too big to realize all at once. Dreams come a size too large so we can grow into them. They must be broken down into manageable pieces. Pieces which can be created right Now. Always think as you wish things to be. Now.

And as you are thinking about what you want right Now, remember the Universe responds to absolute terms rather than any human concept. When you are dreaming, always be aware of a statement that implies the future tense and change it into the present tense. So, “I will” becomes “I am”… “I want” becomes “I have”… and “I might” becomes “I do”.

 Also keep in mind that the Universe does not understand the concept of “try”. We either do something in the present Now or we do nothing. “Try” simply does not exist.

The Universe responds to Now. Everything is happening right Now. If you are remembering the past, you are doing it Now. If you are planning for the future, you are doing it Now. There is Only the Eternal Now.

Remember when you obey the laws, you enjoy the benefits. Thoughts are creative energy. Think only of what you want. Now. Be a Conscious Creator.

Hypnosis and Imagery are incredibly powerful tools to access the visionary power of your subconscious mind. When your mind is in the Alpha state, you are more creative and focused and better able to imagine your ideal way of being. As you imagine your ideal, you are emotionally connected to that image right Now. The process allows you to speak more clearly to the Universe, because whether you believe or not, it is listening to your every thought. Choose the good ones.

“Twenty-three experts in fields that included behavior medicine, psychiatry, and pain medicine presented to a National Institutes of Health panel both scientific and anecdotal evidence to support the use of behavioral and relaxation approaches to treat chronic pain. In particular, the panel found strong evidence for the use of hypnosis to alleviate cancer pain.” (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 1996).

Headaches: The January 2001 issue of Psychology Today references a 2000 study from the International Journal of Clinical Experimental Hypnosis in which self-hypnosis was largely successful in alleviating chronic tension headaches in 169 patients.

Pain & Grief: The National Hospice & Palliative Care Association (NHPCO) of Alexandria, VA in its reference manual Complementary Therapies in End-of-Life Care states “Hypnosis is an effective tool that empowers a patient to take control of her/his response to the physical pain and the psychosocial/spiritual pain of the dying process”.

 Childbirth: The Journal of Family Practice (May, 2001) published Effects of Hypnosis on the Labor Processes and Birth Outcomes of Pregnant Adolescents  which states “Hypnotherapy has been found to be effective in providing pain relief, reducing the need for chemical anesthesia, and reducing anxiety, fear, and pain related to childbirth. Hypnosis has also been helpful in both managing various complications of pregnancy (such as premature labors), and reducing the likelihood of premature labor and birth in high-risk patients.”

During hypnosis your physical body benefits from the natural effects of endorphins, the pleasure hormones that suppress pain sensations. You may feel as if you’ve experienced the benefits of a massage. The hypnotic state calms your emotions. It allows you to release tensions and reinforce positive feelings. Using Imagery, you can experience heightened senses by creating a sanctuary, a vacation for your spirit. Your mind becomes more focused, allowing you to create your future. Energy flows where your attention is directed. Your subconscious mind is a goal-achieving machine.

Consider the gift of a Hypnotherapy or Imagery session for that special person who has “everything”. Perhaps someone who could benefit from scheduled relaxation? How about someone who would like to improve their golf game? Or talk to their Inner Guide? Perhaps someone who wants to explore the possibility of a past life? Maybe someone who is about to celebrate a birthday or graduation or retirement?

Within an altered state of consciousness and a dreamship powered by unlimited imagination, it is possible to travel to any place on the planet… or beyond. It is possible to travel to any time…the past…the future…the in-between.  Create a journey of your choice.

 The Journal of Sports Science (April 1993) reported that researchers at the School of Kinesiology at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, investigated the effects of imagery on the soccer playing of both skilled and novice players. Performance on the post-test as measured by response time (the time to complete the soccer task) revealed a significant improvement for both the skilled and novice players in the imagery group.

              Beauty is an elusive concept, considering “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The American Heritage Dictionary defines beauty by its attributes. “Harmony of form” is important, but that is a matter of perception. “Truthfulness” and “originality”, which are also defined as “authenticity”, are equally important. Perhaps most important, is “another property”. Is this “property” the elusive quality that emanates from “beautiful” people? Is this “property” the intangible quality of self-esteem?

               Every beauty kit should contain a smile and a sense of well-being. It should be packed with self-acceptance and self-confidence. When you feel good, you look good.

               Body image and perception can change with your moods. While experiencing a difficult day, you may engage in negative self-talk. It may be “a bad hair day”, or you may think, “these pants make me look fat” or “my nose is too big”. These, or other negative comments, are the result of years of repetitive subconscious programming. Where did you learn to measure your value in terms of your physical body? What is another way to acknowledge your self? Letting go of judgment allows you to listen to the needs of your body and spirit. Become aware of thought patterns and negative self-talk about your body.

               When you accept yourself as you are, you respect your thoughts and emotions. You develop a sense of pride and self-worth. When you accept yourself with grace and ease, you develop your confidence, your talents and your abilities. When you accept yourself, you develop an appreciation and respect for your physical body. You become less critical and more gentle with yourself. When you accept yourself, you experience self-love. You emanate the beauty of your spirit.

              “Self-Esteem” by Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning (Third Edition, New Harbinger Publications, 2000) regards hypnosis and visualization as effective tools for building and maintaining self-acceptance. Hypnotherapy can help you set goals and provide motivation to achieve those goals. When goals are met, you nourish a belief in yourself and benefit from an increase in self-confidence. Imagery can help you to visualize your ideal self, reinforcing the positive qualities you possess, while enhancing behaviors that help to achieve your goals.

               Using the power of your subconscious mind can increase your self-awareness. A Certified Hypnotherapist can help you to access that power. Your subconscious mind, the 88% of your mind that controls your behavior, is available to you through hypnotic techniques. Hypnotherapy can also help you control unwanted habits that affect your self-esteem, and aid in the elimination of negative behaviors such as pessimism or worry. It can help you to achieve self-mastery.

                When you possess self-love and acceptance, you are “beautiful”, in every sense of the word. You have the power.

There is a difference between the act of sex and the individual experience of our sexuality. Sexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are. Hypnotherapy, imagery and meridian tapping are very effective methods to help with problems of intimacy and sexuality.

Gender Identity

Hypnosis helps people with questions and problems about their gender identity. It allows them to explore and investigate their doubts and to experience what it would be like to be of the other gender. If the decision to have sex-change surgery has been made, hypnosis helps with motivation, being prepared for the surgical ordeal, to control pain and to adapt more fully to the new life.

Sexual Orientation

Hypnotic techniques help the person to accept what cannot be changed and adjust constructively to that situation.

Sexual Preference

In adolescence, we are faced with our sexual preferences, the “things” (activities, sights, scents, etc.) that arouse us and lead to our sexual satisfaction. These “things” include specific parts of the human anatomy and/or body type; physical sensations (including pain); emotional situations (such as fighting and make-up sex); activities and behaviors; scents, sounds, tastes, objects, places, and more.

Sexual preferences are always highly subjective and often culturally determined. Because the person with atypical sexual behavior, like most everybody else, usually imagines beforehand what is going to happen, hypnotic methods work well to help the person be more comfortable with their sexuality or let go of negative behaviors.

Sexual Response

Different from sexual preference, sexual response focuses on what is normally expected, both physiologically and psychologically, when the person has no medical conditions and enjoys good health. There are five progressive stages in human sexual response: Desire, arousal, foreplay, orgasm, and cognitive processing.

The use of visualization or mental rehearsal has shown to be more effective than cognitive therapy. Using visualization techniques, it is possible to substitute and “correct” the negative images that may keep a person in a cycle of unfulfilling or damaging behavior.

People with low libido are better served by proceeding slowly, from sensuality to sex. The person is invited to imagine any physical contact that might be acceptable, or even appealing. Once this is identified, mental rehearsal is centered on it.

 Entering into the sexual fantasy as if it were real is helpful for those with an inability to create positive sexual images. This inability could be due to very painful sexual encounters in the past, including sexual abuse or trauma.

 Most sexual arousal problems are the result of anxiety and tension, so it’s easy to accept the value of hypnotic relaxation. The imagery is not necessarily sexual at first, but helps the person to have a clear experience of natural relaxation. Then, once they are able to control their anxiety about sexual performance, other feelings that produce stress such as fear of intimacy, anger or guilt can be addressed.

 Problems in foreplay often indicate both ignorance and poor sex education, or boredom, lack of emotional excitement, or distracting thoughts unrelated to the sexual situation.

 To improve problems in sexual foreplay, the person is helped to have a vivid and detailed mental experience involving all the inner senses, so it is imagined as if it were real and happening right now. After repeated visualization, it becomes so natural that it is expected to happen the way it has been imagined.

 Sexual climax or orgasm is the healthy, normal, inevitable, outcome. The inability to reach this physiological conclusion may be due to unresolved problems in the relationship. It may be due to a lack of self-esteem or confidence. Personal beliefs and limitations affect our ability to experience pleasure. All of these problems can be addressed with the use of hypnosis, imagery and meridian therapy.

 After sex, we process. The mental activity going on during sex and, especially after it is finished, is very rich. It consists of both mental images and statements,  subconscious memories and programming.  Hypnotherapy can help the person to focus more on positive aspects of the sexual situation and let go of any negativism related to the experience.

 Sexual Mores

 Our culture and historical moment allow or forbid, encourage, or discourage sexual behavior. The expectations and rules are established by the economic, political, ethnic, family, social, and religious values and roles. Sexual role rebellion can be expressed in nonconformity in dress, make-up or customs. Those uncomfortable with their rebellion can be helped through learning to accept themselves.

Choose your thoughts. Choose the good ones. And your body will respond.

 Your body is your subconscious mind.